Overall
New Hampshire feels cheaper overall
New Hampshire has the lower cost-of-living index, beating Massachusetts by 31.7 points on the overall affordability baseline.
View detailed comparison
Cost of Living Comparison
Quality of Life
Massachusetts vs New Hampshire: Cost of Living
New Hampshire is cheaper overall by 31.7 cost-of-living points, but New Hampshire has no state income tax, but New Hampshire has lower median home values.
Massachusetts
MA • Northeast
148.8
Composite cost of living index (100 = national average). Lower = more affordable.
New Hampshire
NH • Northeast
117.1
Composite cost of living index (100 = national average). Lower = more affordable.
Visual Comparison
Massachusetts
148.8
New Hampshire
117.1
Difference: 31.7 points — New Hampshire leads.
Overview
A fast-reading view of the tradeoffs behind the raw cost numbers.
Living Costs
Housing
pay about 1.4x more for a home
New Hampshire has the lower median home value, while buying in Massachusetts costs materially more at the median.
View detailed comparisonRent Pressure
New Hampshire puts less pressure on a median paycheck
Median rent takes a smaller share of household income in New Hampshire than in Massachusetts, which makes monthly budgeting easier.
View detailed comparisonTaxes
New Hampshire has no state income tax
New Hampshire gives residents a cleaner paycheck-level tax advantage, while Massachusetts still taxes income at the state level.
View detailed comparisonCost Stack
Massachusetts
Overall Affordability
Cost of living index
148.8
Regional price parity
110.4
Regular gas price
$3.933/gal
Electricity price
31.16 c/kWh
Housing
Median gross rent
$1,678/mo
Median home value
$510,400
Owner costs with mortgage
-
Owner costs without mortgage
-
Taxes
State income tax
5.00%
State sales tax
6.25%
Property tax
1.07%
Income
Median household income
$96,505
Income after median rent
$6,364
Minimum wage
$15.00/hr
Laws
Gun laws
Restrictive
Alcohol system
License State
Marijuana status
Legal
New Hampshire
Overall Affordability
Cost of living index
117.1
Regional price parity
103.4
Regular gas price
$3.925/gal
Electricity price
26.32 c/kWh
Housing
Median gross rent
$1,452/mo
Median home value
$377,600
Owner costs with mortgage
-
Owner costs without mortgage
-
Taxes
State income tax
None (0%)
State sales tax
None (0%)
Property tax
1.66%
Income
Median household income
$90,845
Income after median rent
$6,118
Minimum wage
$7.25/hr
Laws
Gun laws
Permissive
Alcohol system
Control State
Marijuana status
Medical
What Stands Out
- New Hampshire has lower median home values.
- New Hampshire has no state income tax.
- New Hampshire has the lower overall cost index.
- Massachusetts has the higher median household income.
Affordability Ratios
Related Pages
What This Means
Massachusetts vs New Hampshire: Cost of Living in context
New Hampshire has a cost of living of 117.1, compared with 148.8 in Massachusetts. Composite cost of living index (100 = national average). Lower = more affordable.
Massachusetts
148.8
New Hampshire
117.1
Difference
31.7 points
People Also Ask
Massachusetts vs New Hampshire Cost of Living — Common Questions
Q What is Massachusetts's cost of living?
Massachusetts's cost of living is 148.8.
Q What is New Hampshire's cost of living?
New Hampshire's cost of living is 117.1.
Q Which state has a lower cost of living — Massachusetts or New Hampshire?
New Hampshire is cheaper overall by 31.7 cost-of-living points, but New Hampshire has no state income tax, but New Hampshire has lower median home values.
More Comparisons: Massachusetts vs New Hampshire
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Sources: Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset, with minimum wage data from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker.